His TOI jumped but his points did not. So his points per 60 minutes actually dropped off significantly. I see him as a 3rd liner for life. Not top 6.
- Ztra

Actually his pts/60 has been similar the last 3 yrs but they did drop. Last yr working back 2 yrs they were 1.2/60, 1.5/60 and 1.4/60. What is a bit worrying though his percentage of total points that were on the PP was 39.8 which is high. The two yrs before that stat was 23.6 and 26.5 so his 5v5 numbers were poor.

So you don’t think younger players can improve?
- paulr

By NO means am I comparing the two players against each other, but take a look at Patrick Sharp’s career (heck look at Hartman as well). To say young players can’t ultimately prove to be more than their first few years.

Fitzgerald is gonna fight his termination in court!!

Statement attached from former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald to ESPN, which includes that he's hired a high-profile attorney to "take the necessary steps to protect my rights in accordance with the law."

Here is a question for the board, who plays point on PP 2 replacing C. Jones? Phillips? Kaiser? Zaitsev?
- LAHawk

Kaiser

I saw nothing in his short stint that said he shouldn't be one of the youngsters up this year.

I'm all for guys over marinating in Rockford for a year, so won't mind if he's there instead.

But, to keep Kaiser (if he performs like he did in his time last year) in Rockford and have KK up with the Hawks seems a bit crazy to me.

According to Daily Hockey Dose, Patrick Kane is in negotiations with the Dallas Stars on a multi-year contract but they will have to move a player to fit him in.
- bjphawkfan

Can't be real, no way his dad can drive back and forth from buffalo to Dallas.

So you don’t think younger players can improve?
- paulr

Is Scott Stan Bowman?

Don't improve trade him away

So you don’t think younger players can improve?
- paulr

Yes a younger player can but ,imo, I don't see Kurashev being anything else than what he is now. Hope I m wrong.

Fitzgerald is gonna fight his termination in court!!

Statement attached from former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald to ESPN, which includes that he's hired a high-profile attorney to "take the necessary steps to protect my rights in accordance with the law."
- Mr Ricochet

You just know the way the top guys at Northwestern f'd this up from day 1 that Fitz probably has a good case legally.

Look at the statement and how it was worded, that was written by a lawyer already trying his case.

Here is a question for the board, who plays point on PP 2 replacing C. Jones? Phillips? Kaiser? Zaitsev?
- LAHawk

Kaiser if he makes the team out of camp, but like to see him start in Rockford for more seasoning. Hope this breakout year for Phillips he had the tools to become a solid defenseman let's see if happens.

Here is a question for the board, who plays point on PP 2 replacing C. Jones? Phillips? Kaiser? Zaitsev?
- LAHawk

Dark horse? Roos. I actually think they give Vlasic the first shot at it considering the effort they put in last year to make him more assertive and offensive.

Yes a younger player can but ,imo, I don't see Kurashev being anything else than what he is now. Hope I m wrong.
- Scott1977

Chunk already posted this but Sharp wasn't a younger player when he became a more consistent goal scoring threat. He was 24 and turned 25 when he first hit the 20 goal mark and it wasn't until the following season he really took off with 36 goals.

Not saying that's Kurashev's career arc but it does happen. Maybe he ends up just being decent depth on the third line but like anything, time will tell.

Fitzgerald is gonna fight his termination in court!!

Statement attached from former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald to ESPN, which includes that he's hired a high-profile attorney to "take the necessary steps to protect my rights in accordance with the law."
- Mr Ricochet

He's defending himself? Hiring a lawyer? Exercising his rights?

Can't be real, no way his dad can drive back and forth from buffalo to Dallas.
- vabeachbear

Easier to get to Detroit from Buffalo. Take I-90 West and make a right turn at Toledo. Or go through Canada via Hamilton and London.

Easier to get to Detroit from Buffalo. Take I-90 West and make a right turn at Toledo. Or go through Canada via Hamilton and London.
- boilermaker100

Hard to imagine Kane going to Detroit. He is a die hard hawk.

According to Daily Hockey Dose, Patrick Kane is in negotiations with the Dallas Stars on a multi-year contract but they will have to move a player to fit him in.
- bjphawkfan

i tried to find the Tweet or article and could not not find it?

There is no reason to tank anymore. They got the biggest draft prize of the decade, and even if they progress significantly points-wise this year, they are still likely to pick top 10 again next June. Time to start moving incrementally forward.
- Ogilthorpe2

I agree, i think that's why they left spaces open for the green dmen. My question is, is there a way to layer contracts? Probably term limits is a start.

I agree, i think that's why they left spaces open for the green dmen. My question is, is there a way to layer contracts? Probably term limits is a start.
- BetweenTheDots

Don't get me started Dots.

4 years MAX!!!

Bruins sign Mitchell to a one year $775K deal.

And Kurashev's arbitration hearing scheduled for July 20.
- boilermaker100

What’s the over/under on how many Norris Trophies Mitchell will win in his career? 3.5?

I agree, i think that's why they left spaces open for the green dmen. My question is, is there a way to layer contracts? Probably term limits is a start.
- BetweenTheDots

Bridge deals are becoming less common for players who are progressing quickly. But on the other hand I have noticed a sharp uptick in the number of players taking minimum to $1.5 deals in the last year. The cap being stagnant and teams being up against the cap has created a game of musical chairs where a player doesn’t want the music to stop and not have a contract. Almost an ‘any deal is better than no deal’ situation.


The only players I worry about resigning for big money in the next couple of years are Bedard, Korchinski, Reichel. The rest likely sign a bit longer deal for not much of a hit. Im not a fan of having burned a year of Reichel’s ELC. Getting him to bridge status is a silly strategy that backfired over and over again in the three cup era.

What’s the over/under on how many Norris Trophies Mitchell will win in his career? 3.5?
- DarthKane

Well probably no Norris, but Boston will win the cup now and Mitchell will be a #4-6 Dman on the team. Teams that have our leftovers on D seem to always have a good shot at winning it all.

Well probably no Norris, but Boston will win the cup now and Mitchell will be a #4-6 Dman on the team. Teams that have our leftovers on D seem to always have a good shot at winning it all.
- breadbag

Worked great for the Leafs.

Don't get me started Dots.

4 years MAX!!!
- Chunk

Hahaha, I've heard you say it plenty of times, i do agree to a degree.

Bridge deals are becoming less common for players who are progressing quickly. But on the other hand I have noticed a sharp uptick in the number of players taking minimum to $1.5 deals in the last year. The cap being stagnant and teams being up against the cap has created a game of musical chairs where a player doesn’t want the music to stop and not have a contract. Almost an ‘any deal is better than no deal’ situation.


The only players I worry about resigning for big money in the next couple of years are Bedard, Korchinski, Reichel. The rest likely sign a bit longer deal for not much of a hit. Im not a fan of having burned a year of Reichel’s ELC. Getting him to bridge status is a silly strategy that backfired over and over again in the three cup era.
- ObeseOprah

I think the biggest problem with bringing the kids along early during the cup years was that they were not yet ready. Which of the players they burned a year on during the cup years ended up biting them when they had to sign them to a bridge?

The difference now is that they have plenty of cap space and are slowly bringing in players into the mix, not signing them all at once. They can also slowly add in FA's as they see fit when the team is ready. Personally, I wouldn't worry too much about the contracts at this point. The kids are going to have to get paid at some point. At least they have the picture in front of them instead of hastily reacting.

Worked great for the Leafs.
- Chunk

Well to be fair, the guy we sent to the Leafs wasn't spare parts run out of town like some of the previous guys.

There is no reason to tank anymore. They got the biggest draft prize of the decade, and even if they progress significantly points-wise this year, they are still likely to pick top 10 again next June. Time to start moving incrementally forward.
- Ogilthorpe2

I am not sure the rest of the prospect forwards are ready to step up and in just yet, so I would say next year you start filling the front end after you fill the defense this next one.

I agree the emphasis will be to target a real UFA or two, and probably better to find an established forward or two who is younger by trade, instead of going long term all in on a UFA.
But if the 'hawks are using the UFA route as a short fix, Jake DeBrusk, and Devon Toews and big Tom Wilson seem good targets.